Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was
before - before Dara kissed Parker, before Nick lost him as her best friend, before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred. Now the two sisters, who used to be so close, aren't speaking. In an instant Nick lost everything and is determined to use the summer to get it all back.

2 out of 5 stars

Do Not Get This

By
Najima Rainey
on
03-13-15

Before I Fall

By:
Lauren Oliver

Narrated by:
Sarah Drew

Length: 12 hrs and 25 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
2,866

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,520

Story

4 out of 5 stars
2,513

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last. Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact.

4 out of 5 stars

Great story... but not for kids!

By
Bluemoon
on
05-03-12

Replica

By:
Lauren Oliver

Narrated by:
Sarah Drew,
Erin Spencer

Length: 12 hrs and 56 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
593

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
551

Story

4 out of 5 stars
550

Lyra's story begins in the Haven Institute, a building tucked away on a private island off the coast of Florida that from a distance looks serene and even beautiful. But up close, the locked doors, military guards, and biohazard suits tell a different story. In truth Haven is a clandestine research facility where thousands of replicas, or human models, are born, raised, and observed. When a surprise attack is launched on Haven, two of its young experimental subjects - Lyra, or 24, and the boy known only as 72 - manage to escape.

Estranged patriarch Richard Walker has died, leaving behind a country house full of rooms packed with the detritus of a lifetime. His alienated family - bitter ex-wife Caroline, troubled teenage son Trenton, and unforgiving daughter Minna - have arrived for their inheritance. But the Walkers are not alone. Alice and Sandra, two long-dead and restless ghosts, linger within the house's claustrophobic walls, bound eternally to its physical structure.

2 out of 5 stars

Boring!

By
Lorin
on
11-24-14

The Problem with Forever

By:
Jennifer L. Armentrout

Narrated by:
Amy Landon

Length: 14 hrs

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
379

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
357

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
357

For some people, silence is a weapon. For Mallory "Mouse" Dodge, it's a shield. Growing up, she learned that the best way to survive was to say nothing. And even though it's been four years since her nightmare ended, she's beginning to worry that the fear that holds her back will last a lifetime. Now, after years of homeschooling with loving adoptive parents, Mallory must face a new milestone - spending her senior year at a public high school.

4 out of 5 stars

My only regret...

By
Amazon Customer
on
08-19-16

Liesl & Po

By:
Lauren Oliver,
Kei Acedera

Narrated by:
Jim Dale

Length: 5 hrs and 55 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
468

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
428

Story

4 out of 5 stars
424

Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother. Her only friends are the shadows and the mice - until one night a ghost appears from the darkness. It is Po, who comes from the Other Side. Both Liesl and Po are lonely, but together they are less alone. That same night, an alchemist's apprentice, Will, bungles an important delivery. He accidentally switches a box containing the most powerful magic in the world with one containing something decidedly less remarkable. Will's mistake has tremendous consequences for Liesl and Po....

Dara and Nick used to be inseparable, but that was
before - before Dara kissed Parker, before Nick lost him as her best friend, before the accident that left Dara's beautiful face scarred. Now the two sisters, who used to be so close, aren't speaking. In an instant Nick lost everything and is determined to use the summer to get it all back.

2 out of 5 stars

Do Not Get This

By
Najima Rainey
on
03-13-15

Before I Fall

By:
Lauren Oliver

Narrated by:
Sarah Drew

Length: 12 hrs and 25 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
2,866

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
2,520

Story

4 out of 5 stars
2,513

Samantha Kingston has it all: the world's most crush-worthy boyfriend, three amazing best friends, and first pick of everything at Thomas Jefferson High—from the best table in the cafeteria to the choicest parking spot. Friday, February 12, should be just another day in her charmed life. Instead, it turns out to be her last. Then she gets a second chance. Seven chances, in fact.

4 out of 5 stars

Great story... but not for kids!

By
Bluemoon
on
05-03-12

Replica

By:
Lauren Oliver

Narrated by:
Sarah Drew,
Erin Spencer

Length: 12 hrs and 56 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
593

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
551

Story

4 out of 5 stars
550

Lyra's story begins in the Haven Institute, a building tucked away on a private island off the coast of Florida that from a distance looks serene and even beautiful. But up close, the locked doors, military guards, and biohazard suits tell a different story. In truth Haven is a clandestine research facility where thousands of replicas, or human models, are born, raised, and observed. When a surprise attack is launched on Haven, two of its young experimental subjects - Lyra, or 24, and the boy known only as 72 - manage to escape.

Estranged patriarch Richard Walker has died, leaving behind a country house full of rooms packed with the detritus of a lifetime. His alienated family - bitter ex-wife Caroline, troubled teenage son Trenton, and unforgiving daughter Minna - have arrived for their inheritance. But the Walkers are not alone. Alice and Sandra, two long-dead and restless ghosts, linger within the house's claustrophobic walls, bound eternally to its physical structure.

2 out of 5 stars

Boring!

By
Lorin
on
11-24-14

The Problem with Forever

By:
Jennifer L. Armentrout

Narrated by:
Amy Landon

Length: 14 hrs

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
379

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
357

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
357

For some people, silence is a weapon. For Mallory "Mouse" Dodge, it's a shield. Growing up, she learned that the best way to survive was to say nothing. And even though it's been four years since her nightmare ended, she's beginning to worry that the fear that holds her back will last a lifetime. Now, after years of homeschooling with loving adoptive parents, Mallory must face a new milestone - spending her senior year at a public high school.

4 out of 5 stars

My only regret...

By
Amazon Customer
on
08-19-16

Liesl & Po

By:
Lauren Oliver,
Kei Acedera

Narrated by:
Jim Dale

Length: 5 hrs and 55 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
468

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
428

Story

4 out of 5 stars
424

Liesl lives in a tiny attic bedroom, locked away by her cruel stepmother. Her only friends are the shadows and the mice - until one night a ghost appears from the darkness. It is Po, who comes from the Other Side. Both Liesl and Po are lonely, but together they are less alone. That same night, an alchemist's apprentice, Will, bungles an important delivery. He accidentally switches a box containing the most powerful magic in the world with one containing something decidedly less remarkable. Will's mistake has tremendous consequences for Liesl and Po....

5 out of 5 stars

Loved this charming story

By
Natalie
on
10-25-12

Curiosity House: The Shrunken Head

By:
Lauren Oliver,
H. C. Chester

Narrated by:
Greg Steinbruner

Length: 7 hrs and 59 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
63

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
55

Story

4 out of 5 stars
55

Blessed with extraordinary abilities, orphans Philippa, Sam, and Thomas have grown up happily in Dumfrey's Dime Museum of Freaks, Oddities, and Wonders. But when a fourth child, Max, a knife thrower, joins the group, it sets off an unforgettable chain of events.

4 out of 5 stars

Mix the Circus and a Murder Mystery

By
Crystal
on
06-23-16

The Child Thief

By:
Bella Forrest

Narrated by:
Rebecca Soler

Length: 11 hrs and 44 mins

Unabridged

Overall

5 out of 5 stars
17

Performance

5 out of 5 stars
15

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
15

America in 2105 is beset with mass inequality, poverty, and increasingly large numbers of the poor. A fractured and divided America ushers in an authoritarian government that promises to solve all these problems in one stroke with a radical solution. Welcome to the CRAS: the Child Redistribution Adoption System. It is the bane of 19-year-old Robin Sylvone's existence. Under the system, millions of poor families have their children taken and given to the rich. As a single teen mother, Robin fell within the scope of the scheme and lost her baby two years ago.

The Spindlers

By:
Lauren Oliver

Narrated by:
Simon Vance

Length: 4 hrs and 51 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
44

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
42

Story

4 out of 5 stars
41

One night when Liza went to bed, Patrick was her chubby, stubby, candy-grubbing and pancake-loving younger brother, who irritated and amused her both, and the next morning, when she woke up, he was not. In fact, he was quite, quite different. When Liza's brother, Patrick, changes overnight, Liza knows exactly what has happened: The spindlers have gotten to him and stolen his soul. She knows, too, that she is the only one who can save him. To rescue Patrick, Liza must go Below, armed with little more than her wits and a broom.

4 out of 5 stars

Sweet magical story w/humor

By
Small Town Girl
on
03-04-13

Paper Princess

By:
Erin Watt

Narrated by:
Angela Goethals

Length: 9 hrs and 28 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
1,008

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
943

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
944

These Royals will ruin you...Ella Harper is a survivor - a pragmatic optimist. She's spent her whole life moving from town to town with her flighty mother, struggling to make ends meet and believing that someday she'll climb out of the gutter. After her mother's death, Ella is truly alone. Until Callum Royal appears, plucking Ella out of poverty and tossing her into his posh mansion among his five sons who all hate her. Each Royal boy is more magnetic than the last, but none as captivating as Reed Royal, the boy who is determined to send her back to the slums.

3 out of 5 stars

Overall I'd give it 3.5 Stars

By
AmazonAddict
on
01-14-17

The Gender Game

By:
Bella Forrest

Narrated by:
Rebecca Soler,
Zachary Webber

Length: 9 hrs and 53 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
4,079

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
3,643

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
3,647

A toxic river divides 19-year-old Violet Bates' world by gender. Women rule the East. Men rule the West. Welcome to the lands of Matrus and Patrus. Ever since the disappearance of her beloved younger brother, Violet's life has been consumed by an anger she struggles to control. Already a prisoner to her own nation, now she has been sentenced to death for her crimes. But one decision could save her life. To enter the kingdom of Patrus, where men rule and women submit.

1 out of 5 stars

cheesy narrator for a meh story

By
NAOMI C ST AMAND
on
07-13-17

The Girl Who Dared to Think

By:
Bella Forrest

Narrated by:
Kirsten Leigh

Length: 14 hrs and 44 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4.5 out of 5 stars
638

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
588

Story

4.5 out of 5 stars
589

How do you fight an enemy when they're inside your mind? A gargantuan glass-walled tower looms over a deadly wilderness. They say it's all that's left. The Tower's survival is humanity's survival, and each must serve it faithfully.... Twenty-year-old Liana Castell must be careful what she thinks. Her life is defined by the number on her wristband - a rating out of 10 awarded based on her usefulness and loyalty to the Tower, and monitored by a device in her skull. A device that reports forbidden thoughts.

3 out of 5 stars

Narrator killed it for me

By
wesw woods
on
10-30-17

Cruel Crown

The Red Queen Series

By:
Victoria Aveyard

Narrated by:
Andi Arndt,
Jayne Entwistle,
Amanda Dolan

Length: 6 hrs and 26 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
706

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
652

Story

4 out of 5 stars
653

Queen Coriane, first wife of King Tiberias, keeps a secret diary - how else can she ensure that no one at the palace will use her thoughts against her? Coriane recounts her heady courtship with the crown prince, the birth of a new prince, Cal, and the potentially deadly challenges that lie ahead for her in royal life.

5 out of 5 stars

Hands Down The Best

By
Bex Russ
on
05-17-17

Pawn

By:
Aimee Carter

Narrated by:
Lameece Issaq

Length: 8 hrs and 2 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
502

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
454

Story

4 out of 5 stars
455

For Kitty Doe, it seems like an easy choice. She can either spend her life as a III in misery, looked down upon by the higher ranks and forced to leave the people she loves, or she can become a VII and join the most powerful family in the country. If she says yes, Kitty will be Masked - surgically transformed into Lila Hart, the Prime Minister's niece, who died under mysterious circumstances. As a member of the Hart family, she will be famous. She will be adored. And for the first time, she will matter.

5 out of 5 stars

Surprisingly addictive

By
Ashley
on
03-09-14

Shatter Me

By:
Tahereh Mafi

Narrated by:
Kate Simses

Length: 9 hrs and 12 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
1,888

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
1,721

Story

4 out of 5 stars
1,729

"You can't touch me," I whisper. I'm lying, is what I don't tell him. He can touch me, is what I'll never tell him. But things happen when people touch me. Strange things. Bad things. No one knows why Juliette's touch is fatal, but The Reestablishment has plans for her. Plans to use her as a weapon. But Juliette has plans of her own.

Pay close attention, and you might solve this. On Monday afternoon five students at Bayview High walk into detention. Bronwyn, the brain, is Yale-bound and never breaks a rule. Addy, the beauty, is the picture-perfect homecoming princess. Nate, the criminal, is already on probation for dealing. Cooper, the athlete, is the all-star baseball pitcher. And Simon, the outcast, is the creator of Bayview High's notorious gossip app. Only Simon never makes it out of that classroom. Before the end of detention, Simon's dead.

5 out of 5 stars

It kept me guessing!!

By
tarafarah7: Tara Brown
on
06-03-17

Matched

Book 1

By:
Ally Condie

Narrated by:
Kate Simses

Length: 9 hrs and 54 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
2,966

Performance

4 out of 5 stars
2,480

Story

4 out of 5 stars
2,495

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

5 out of 5 stars

A Kinder, Gentler Dyastopian Society

By
Amazon Customer
on
06-08-12

The Conspiracy of Us

By:
Maggie Hall

Narrated by:
Julia Whelan

Length: 9 hrs and 34 mins

Unabridged

Overall

4 out of 5 stars
849

Performance

4.5 out of 5 stars
781

Story

4 out of 5 stars
782

Avery West's newfound family can shut down Prada when they want to shop in peace, and can just as easily order a bombing when they want to start a war. Part of a powerful and dangerous secret society called the Circle, they believe Avery is the key to an ancient prophecy. Some want to use her as a pawn. Some want her dead. To unravel the mystery putting her life in danger, Avery must follow a trail of clues from the monuments of Paris to the back alleys of Istanbul with two boys who work for the Circle.

4 out of 5 stars

Hooked on Julia Whelan

By
Katie - Audible
on
06-04-15

Editorial Reviews

Editors Select, March 2014 - Lauren Oliver penned one of my all-time favorite YA trilogies,
Delirium but it was her non-dystopian (though still fantastical)
Before I Fall that really bowled me over with its narrative maturity and a complexity that didn’t lose steam. And Sarah Drew delivered a truly authentic narration for all four books. Needless to say, I’ve been looking forward to her new standalone
Panic for a long time and so far it doesn’t disappoint. As with Oliver’s other books, reading this I felt like I was back on the ground in my teenage years, as she deals friendship, loyalty, envy, and hopes for the future in an absolutely realistic way. I like a first love storyline as much as any YA listener, but its Oliver’s ability to harness all the other stuff about growing up that sets her apart from her contemporaries.
Emily, Audible Editor

Publisher's Summary

Panic began as so many things do in Carp, a poor town of 12,000 people in the middle of nowhere: Because it was summer, and there was nothing else to do.

Heather never thought she would compete in panic, a legendary game played by graduating seniors, where the stakes are high and the payoff is even higher. She'd never thought of herself as fearless, the kind of person who would fight to stand out. But when she finds something, and someone, to fight for, she will discover that she is braver than she ever thought.

Dodge has never been afraid of panic. His secret will fuel him, and get him all the way through the game; he's sure of it. But what he doesn't know is that he's not the only one with a secret. Everyone has something to play for.

For Heather and Dodge, the game will bring new alliances, unexpected revelations, and the possibility of first love for each of them - and the knowledge that sometimes the very things we fear are those we need the most.

In this gritty, spellbinding novel, New York Times best-selling author Lauren Oliver delivers a gripping narrative of friendship, courage, survival, and hope.

It should have been called Malaise

I don’t enjoy writing negative reviews, but this book was a huge disappointment for me. I love Lauren Oliver’s writing and her Delirium Trilogy is one of my favorites. However, this book was far from being a favorite for me.

At first the story was very promising and there was certainly a thrill factor that perfectly fit the title. Unfortunately it went downhill very quickly and overall was just plain boring. I couldn’t sympathize with the characters and most of the plotline I found completely implausible. I get it - Panic is a game born out of small-town boredom, but most of the “tasks” were just reckless and stupid. Nothing was done out of bravery or honor.

I’m giving this one 2.5 stars for two simple reasons. Lauren Oliver’s writing style is superb and Sarah Drew’s narration is always exciting and engaging. Sadly, I wish I could say the same about the actual book.

AMAZING!

Any additional comments?

I almost didn't read this book because of reviews saying it was unrealistic, but i'm so glad I did. I had no trouble understanding why the teens in this book did the things they did. Maybe its because as a freshman in college I was so recently where they are. These kids play this game because its a chance to get out, the prize money is for some of them their only chance to leave their small sad town. That chance to escape is something some of them are willing to risk their lives for, and I can see why. This book is an original one of a kind story and one I know i'll listen to again and again.

Not a cliche book

After about five months of pausing I finally finished this book .. it is thrilling despite it's simple concept, I liked it and it surprised me in some ways..I don't want to spoil but the ending was fair yet not cliched, it is the first book I read for Lauren Oliver and certainly not the last

Oliver & Drew are a Perfect Combination

I've been a Lauren Oliver fan since I first came across "Before I Fall" a few years ago. When I learned that she was writing a new stand-alone novel, I definitely marked it on my calendar.

As you can see, I felt "Panic" was about a 4/5. Sarah Drew really is perfect for Oliver's protagonists (Sam, Heather, Lena), but I am not a fan of her male voices. They are not distinguishable enough for me to be able to identify the characters without Drew actually saying who was speaking. Her angry/crying voices are kind of rough sometimes, but I love them.

The story was also interesting if not totally predictable. It was hard for me to comprehend that the story took place NOW instead of in some dystopean future. I don't really want to give anything away, but I could not stop listening once I started and was happy I decided to let this story quick off my spring break!

If you're a fan of Oliver's other stories, you will like this one. If you generally like YA romances with hints of seriously dark elements, you will like this one.

Another great story from Lauren Oliver

Apparently, Lauren Oliver can write anything WELL. This book is so different from her Delirium series and from Before I Fall, yet still awesome. The story wasn't something I would normally be interested in, but I read it because Oliver's writing style is so amazing. I was not disappointed.

Really Good Book

I'm a fan of Lauren Oliver - loved her Delirum series & Before I fall, so I expected to like this one. I wasn't disappointed! How believable? How many things did we do as teenagers that as adults we can't believe we did? Sarah Drew is the perfect narrator for Lauren Oliver's books.